If you are one of the many people who use coffee shops for several hours of studying or work, you might want to consider this question: What is the bathroom like? Here’s a list of some of Beijing’s coffee locations and explanations of how their bathrooms ... Read More>>

If you’re getting bored of going to the movies or even worse, watching terribly translated pirated DVD’s alone at home, it’s time to explore Beijing’s arthouse cinemas for a new or different way to experience films. It can be difficult to know how and ... Read More>>

Middle Eastern restaurants remain something of a niche in Beijing. Though increasing in number, they don’t come anywhere near to say, Italian or Thai places. The Middle East, on the whole, is more of an importer than exporter. A stunning 90% of Saudi ... Read More>>

If you’re tired of Beijing’s popular and tourist-driven 798 art district, there is always Chaocangdi. But beyond that, Beijing has much more to offer in terms of art. Read More>>

The eight traditional cuisines of China reside mainly in the Han-majority regions, including Hunan and Jiangsu, but what of the rest of the country? This piece will explore – somewhat controversially – the tastes of China’s ethnic regions. Read More>>

Beijing's winter has developed a split personality in recent years. It likes to lull people into a false sense of comfort and security – that feeling you get when it's early December and you can still go outside without wearing long underwear – but wham! ... Read More>>

It is truly difficult to imagine how anyone could dislike cheese. It’s sometimes rich, soft, mild, hard, creamy, pungent, sharp, smooth, herb coated or nut crusted; it is cheese and it is delicious. Beijing is an enormously populated city with a cheese ... Read More>>

This winter Beijing’s Bird’s Nest will be playing host to a high stakes snowboarding competition and will be transformed into a Disney princess snow castle among other highlights in what is, to date, the most active month for the venue. Read More>>

Going “green” has never been as urgent as it is today, and fortunately for the planet, the world’s biggest polluter has finally begun jumping on the environmental bandwagon. China is home to the world’s largest coal production industry, yet ... Read More>>

Without a doubt, wine is becoming more and more accessible in Beijing. Gone are the days when the only options were a bottle of Changyu from the corner shop or a bottle of generic French red from the Friendship Store. Finding good value wine – that suits ... Read More>>

What’s not to love about pampering yourself with manicures, pedicures and wax treatments? The Chinese are known around the world for their precise and meticulous manicure/pedicure and waxing abilities, so it goes without saying that Beijing is fantastic ... Read More>>

With many people tired of the meat market atmosphere of Beijing’s many bars and the pop-oriented dance scene, a game of pool is an often forgotten but very viable alternative to going out on the razzle. If you are tired of shouting into the ears of people ... Read More>>

One the best ways to spend a hot summer day in Beijing is to hit up one of the city’s many water parks. From man-made beaches right in the middle of the city, to a huge choice of slides and wave pools, Beijing has tons of options! Read More>>

Things change fast in Beijing, and this is especially true for the live music scene. Just over four years ago, one could pretty much count the number of live music venues with the fingers of two hands. The old Yugong Yishan, D22, 2Kolegas, Star Live, ... Read More>>

Trying to beat the heat this summer? Give these creative hot-pot spots a try. We promise they will not fail to disappoint! Read More>>

Legend has it that the best pint of Guinness stout is poured at the public house nearest to the Guinness brewery gates and that the closer the location of the drinker to this sacred spot, the better their brew tastes. Whether Tsingtao or Yanjing beers ... Read More>>

International schools have already broken up for summer and what a long summer it is. With the novelty of being off school wearing out; kids soon get bored of having nothing to do or only the Nintendo Wii and DVDs to keep them amused. Best that you find the ... Read More>>

Numerous studies have been conducted to prove that pets can bring joy and healing to our lives, plain and simple. Coming home to someone who is always glad to see you and who never complains or argues is delightful. Naturally, along with a pet however comes ... Read More>>

Although it's just a quick dash across Gulou Dongdajie, Beiluoguxiang is a world away from its gentrified southern cousin. In recent years a slew of new bars and restaurants have started to open up on Beiluoguxiang, but the development remains much more ... Read More>>

The ever classic burger: a favorite for all and perfect in every season. It’s easy enough to slap a burger on a menu, but to take home the prize of boast-worthy burger is much more of a challenge. Several restaurants in Beijing boast a fantastic burger but ... Read More>>

Beijing has a dizzying selection of sit-down restaurants, but there are also hundreds, if not thousands, of take-away food options in Beijing. Here, we ambitiously congest the expansive list to a handful of solid options. Read More>>

With what seems to be a continuing global economic crisis, people all around the world are tightening their belts in various ways. In times of uncertainty, one thing is for sure: partying and enjoying the nightlife is something most people don’t want to ... Read More>>

The Bird’s Nest in the Olympic Village is host to a veritable wonderland of winter fun. Here are some of the activities on offer this December. Read More>>

Dashilan’er (also known as Dazhalan West Street), one of Beijing’s oldest commercial streets has re-opened following intensive renovations that lasted for over one year and cost 93 million RMB. Dashilan’er is located in the Qianmen area, south of ... Read More>>